HIV Infection of the Brain and Targeted Therapeutic Strategies

Date/Time: 30 October 2019, 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Speaker: Upal Roy, Ph.D.
Speaker Affiliation: Assistant Professor, Department of Health and Biomedical Sciences, College of Health Affairs, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Brownsville, Texas
Venue: John A. Burns School of Medicine, Medical Education Building Auditorium (Room 315)

For more info: Cori Watanabe (808) 692-1654
Description: Currently, combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) has significantly improved the lifespan of HIV-infected patients. However, many drugs have poor penetrability into viral reservoir sites, such as the brain. The inaccessibility of antiretroviral drugs within the brain enables persistent HIV propagation, resulting in HIV-associated neurological disorders (HAND). We are investigating a long-acting nanomedicine targeting HIV infection in the brain. We have developed a nanocarrier containing anti-HIV drugs, also known as �¢??nanodrug�¢??. These nanodrugs are delivered to the brain utilizing the transmigratory property of human macrophages through the blood-brain barrier. They are being further characterized for cytotoxicity, drug-loading capacity and therapeutic efficacies in HIV-infected humanized mouse models. The present study has established an alternative treatment strategy for long-term remission of HIV in the brain and improved therapeutic outcomes.
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